Rail

Welcome to Rail Branch

Prasa owns 2 280 Kilometers of South Africa's rail network and uses some the 22 000 Kilometers of rail track under the control of Transnet. It has 585 train stations and total fleet of 4 735 coaches, with an overall staff complement of 18 207.

Goverment is spending in the region of R51 billion on New Rolling Stock and R4 billion on new Hybrid Locomotives in the next 5 years period. To date PRASA has taken delivery on thirteen (13) of the 70 new locomotives.

In 2014/15, Government through PRASA transported 2 million passengers and covered fifty five million (55m) passenger trips. The entity refurbished 291 Metrorail and 298 Shosholoza Meyl coaches, and upgraded 27 stations nationally.

Achievements

A R13.5 billion subsidy in the medium term for Shosholoza Meyl and Metrorail with major spin-offs of 500 million passeenger trips in 6 metro arears, and 700 000 long distance passengers

The construction of a more than R1 billion train manufacturing factory in Nigel, employing about 1 500 people.99% of whom are South Africans, 85% historically disadvantaged individuals, and 25% wowen

The replacement of obsolete signalling and development of new signals at cost of R13.2 billion, which will greatly improve safety and make rail transportation an experience to cherish

This signalling programme translates into 762 jobs, with another 150 for engineers and artisans.The Gauteng nerve centre in Kaalfontein, which was handed over on 05 October 2015 will act as the signalling control hub of PRASA's passenger rail network in Gauteng

1000 jobs from the Motherwell and another 325 from from the Greenview-Pienaarspoort rail extensions

A further 2004 jobs from Metrorail and 1005 more from Shosholoza Meyl improved services and station upgrades were realized

Rail Service offerings

Facilitate and coordinates the development of sustainable rail transport policies, rail economic and safety regulation, infrastructure development strategies and systems that reduces system costs and improves customer service.

This programme monitors, and oversees the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). The focus is also on the implementation of integrated passenger rail services planned through the lowest competent sphere of government.

Rail Announcement

The Department has produced a White Paper on National Rail Policy for comments and inputs. Stakeholders and the public are invited to submit their written comments to the Department by the 15 December 2017.

Comments can be forwarded either by email: railpolicy@dot.gov.za or can be submitted to the Departmental offices at c/o Struben and Bosman street, Pretoria.